Riverwalk Social Friday for the 2013 Mystic Irish Parade Grand Marshal

This Friday, March 22^nd, from 6 pm to 8 pm, the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation will be celebrating the 2013 Mystic Irish Parade’s Grand Marshal, Mr. Michael Crowley. In honor of the evening, guests will enjoy a casual get together with light hors d’oeuvre’s and cocktails at the RiverWalk Restaurant in downtown Mystic. This is a wonderful opportunity for the local community to meet Michael Crowley, Chief of the Groton Police Department.

This honor is dedicated to a member of Southeastern CT who continually contributes their time and energy to making the community a safe environment. Mr. Crowley is actively involved in several community organizations in the area including the Mystic Knights of Columbus, Mystic Little League and the Special Olympic. The parade is extremely fortunate to have him as this year’s Grand Marshal.

The Grand Marshal will lead the Mystic Irish Parade from the Mystic Seaport Museum through downtown to the Mystic Art Association. Over 100 organizations, 1,800 marchers and 30,000 spectators will fill the streets in celebration of this Celtic holiday. This year, there’s more than just decorated floats, Gaelic music, and the Irish jig!

Over ten Celtic rooted Pipe Bands, Fife & Drum Units, Military Drill Teams, and several high school marching bands will make Mystic a musical experience! And this year only, the world famous Joshua Tree Band, the nation’s premier tribute band to U2, will be performing some of U2’s best songs and have everyone dancing in the streets!

This festive celebration, as well as many other annual area events, are planned and supported by the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation. The parade, funded by proceeds from these events, the generosity of local business sponsorships and individual sale of raffle tickets, is an annual event that has become a community wide cultural tradition.

Surplus funds from the Mystic Irish Parade are donated to local charities, such as Southeastern CT Women’s Center (now Safe Futures), the Mystic Flag Pole Committee, Boy Scouts of America, Groton and Stonington Police Benevolent Associations, Centro de la Communidad of New London, Mystic YMCA, Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, Saint Mark’s and Society of St. Edmund’s Retreat Center.

Following the parade on Sunday at 4:00 PM at the Harp & Hound Pub in Mystic, the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation will award trophies to the winning participants of the parade.  They will also honor the dedicated volunteers who have made the Mystic Irish Parade a resounding success and one of the most reputable parades in New England. The annual raffle drawing for a trip for two to Ireland will be held as well. (Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Harp & Hound, Taber Inne and the Wireless Zone in Groton for $5 per ticket.)

We encourage family and friends to come to both the RiverWalk Restaurant on Friday evening in celebration of this year’s Grand Marshal and the 2013 Mystic Irish Parade on Sunday, March 24^th. Heather Somers, Mayor of Groton, will be presenting the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Board with a Proclamation in Bank Square at 1:30 PM on Sunday as well. Proceeds from these events will be contributed to the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation’s Scholarship Fund. We look forward to seeing you there!